


Excursion

by st_aurafina



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Prequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-04-08
Updated: 2007-04-08
Packaged: 2017-10-20 22:14:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/217639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/st_aurafina/pseuds/st_aurafina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neville knows that an outing with his parents is a special kind of day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Excursion

**Author's Note:**

> Written for ion_bond, who requested Neville's mum, and Ministry hoops to jump through.

"I'm afraid we have no idea what the long term consequences of Cruciatus may be – it has been suggested that spontaneous acts of violence are a possibility."

Neville squashed up close to his mother's side as they sat on the hard wooden bench at the back of the long, wood-panelled room. He pressed his face into her robes, breathing in the smell of herbs and laundry that hung about all of her clothes since she had lived in the hospital. He peeped out at the men gathered around his gran. She was tapping her nails on the glossy surface of the table at the far end of the room, and he wondered why the men weren't afraid – Gran looked very angry, standing next to the chair where Neville's dad had been seated. People who work at the Ministry must be very brave, he thought, to stand up to Gran when she was in a temper.

"Well, for Merlin's sake, you've spoken to the healers, haven't you? Every year it's the same, the healers tell you that they're both perfectly harmless, and every year you have a new excuse. I'm quite tired of your conspiracy and your lies."

A breeze ruffled Neville's hair, and he looked up: his mum's lips were pursed and she was blowing a stream of air down onto his head. He put a finger to his lips.

"Be very quiet, Mum. Gran says we all have to be on our best behaviour here."

His mum copied his gesture, pressing her finger against her open mouth but smiling widely. He reached up and took her finger in his hand, pulling it gently down, trapping it between his leg and hers. Up at the front of the room, the Ministry men were circled around the chair in which his father sat, quietly staring at the light coming through the stained glass window.

"We do believe that Frank could perhaps return home for a visit sometime this year, but not Alice, I'm sorry. There has been some suggestion that dark forces may be able to influence her. Without constant supervision by professional healers, she could pose a danger to others, and to herself. The Ministry simply cannot allow it."

Neville's gran gave a great snort of disgust, and both Neville and his mother jumped at the loud noise. Neville's mum put her finger to her lips again and made a shushing noise. At the front of the room, the bird on Gran's hat was atremble with fury, and Neville winced.

"Well, what is the use of that? I can't take one of them home without the other. They'd both be miserable. I am not a healer, but even I can see that would be detrimental to their recovery. As I suspect you know very well." She bent over Neville's dad, and spoke to him.

"I'm sorry, Frank, dear. You won't be coming home this year, not without Alice." She glared at the officials, and they quailed a little. Neville felt sorry for them.

Neville's dad blinked sleepily, and returned his gaze to the pattern of coloured light on the floor, following it with his eyes even when the healers helped him out of his chair. Gran's boots clicked furiously down the panelled floor, until she was standing next to Neville and his mum on the wooden bench. The men in their Ministry robes followed her serenely, but at a safe distance.

"Come along, Neville. It's time to say good bye to your mother."

Neville knelt on the bench so he could kiss his mother on the cheek. "Bye mum. I hope you had a nice day out." His gran took his hand, and pulled him briskly to his feet. He turned and walked backwards so he could watch his mum all the way to the door. "I had a lovely time too."


End file.
